DISGRACEFUL GLADSTONIAN ROWDYISM AT BADSEY
Mr Impey afterwards proceeded to Badsey [having previously been at Bretforton], and was met by a number of his supporters, who, taking the pony out of the trap driven by him, dragged him through the village to a yard where he was to address another open-air meeting. There was a large attendance and the proceedings were of a very lively character. There was a good sprinkling of the opposition, as was afterwards seen. Mr William Bell took the chair, and among those present were Messrs Harries, Holbeche, E Evans, J P Alcock (Evesham), E Bell, W Collet, W Keen, J & O L Hall, W Hartwell, Ballard, C Field, etc. The proceedings were interrupted frequently, and Mr Impey had to ask his own supporters to leave the gentlemen of the opposition to themselves. No violence, however, was attempted until a gentleman – who had driven from Evesham – ventured to dissent to a statement made by Mr Impey. His trap was quickly surrounded, and had he not retreated it is hard to say if he would not have found himself where some of Mr Impey’s supporters threatened to put him, viz, in the pool. Things went on quietly for a short time, when for no apparent reason Mr Jones and his wife were forcibly ejected, Messrs Warmington and Smith following in quick succession. Turning out now seemed to the majority of Mr Impey’s supporters a far more enjoyable occupation than listening to the land question, and more than two-thirds adjourned to the village street where the turned out ones were remonstrating with the chuckers out. The shouting and the thirst for a row were working the young, and even some of the older men into a state of great excitement. Everyone appeared to want to fight someone, but as that someone consisted of only Mr Jones and his wife and one or two peaceable Conservatives, they contented themselves with hustling anyone who came in their way. Although shouts of defiance were hurled at Mr Jones, he received no actual challenger until a man named Salter (a leading supporter of Mr Impey) rushed to the front, shouting, “I be good enough man for thee.” A ring was instantly formed, but Mr Jones declined to break the law. However, if Salter was not to fight, Mrs Salter had no intention to let matters rest for, backed by a lot of rowdy youths, she furiously attacked Mrs Jones asking her what she meant by calling her children “padding-ken”. Not content with assaulting Mrs Jones, Mrs Salter, meeting a daughter of Jones, promptly administered two severe blows on the girl’s face. Quiet being restored, most of the crowd returned to hear the finish of Mr Impey’s address. We understand that after the meeting, Mr Jones and his friends were waylaid by a party of Radicals. Mr Jones, being so seriously wounded in the head that he had to be brought into Evesham and was attended to by Mr Martin. Mr Bell, in introducing Mr Impey, said he hoped they would do their best for and vote for Mr Impey. The latter commenced by stating that that meeting was the strongest contradiction possible to another Tory lie. From what he read in the Tory paper, Sir Edmund Lechmere had made great progress in Badsey; that Badsey had turned Tory; Radical Badsey had got tired of Mr Gladstone (cries of “Never” and “Yes”) and were going to vote for Sir E Lechmere (“Never”, “Yes”). He never before had had the honour of being drawn triumphantly through Badsey or any other village in England, and if that in itself was not enough to contradict the idea that Badsey had turned, he did not know what was. It was stated at Church Lench that this election was going to be fought out upon the land question. If so, his opponent had been delivered into his hands. His party had for generations past been in favour of lessening the grip of the landlord. Mr Impey went on to advocate free sale or fair compensation to market gardeners and small holders, and compulsory allotments. He also touched upon education, charities, and rights of way. Mr W Bell proposed, and Mr Holbeche seconded, a vote of confidence in Mr Impey, which was carried with but one dissentient. Mr Impey, in replying, said they had had a pleasant though a rather warm meeting. Had the Evesham Tories stayed away from the meeting the other evening, he believed that their meeting would have been a quiet one. The meeting closed with cheers for Mr Impey.
* * * * *
The Worcestershire Chronicle of Saturday 9th July 1892 gave the following reportL
ELECTION JOTTINGS – MR IMPEY AND THE VILLAGERS
The Tories of South Worcestershire declare they are confident of success, but the dodges they are resorting to throw doubt upon the sincerity of this anticipation. It is well known that Mr Impey has gained great popularity in the villages, where his important services as a pioneer of the allotment movement are cordially acknowledged. The Tories are aware that they will suffer severely from this circumstance, and their cue is to deny its existence. Like children at play, they have said to one another, “Let us pretend that Impey is nowhere in the villages,” and they are pretending as hard as they can in the hope of deceiving somebody. Part of the game is to assert that Unionist meetings in the county have been a great success while Liberal meetings are ill-attended and lack enthusiasm. They have even represented Badsey as a promising Tory centre, but after this week’s experience they will hardly have the nerve to repeat the slander. Mr Impey visited this thriving village on Monday and was met by crowds of supporters, who took the horse out of his gig and drew him to the place of meeting amid the cheering of the inhabitants who had turned out on masse to witness the procession. A splendid meeting followed, with a most cordial vote of confidence, Let each village, whose loyalty to Mr Gladstone, Mr Impey and the Liberal cause is impugned by the Tory scribes, do the same as Badsey has done if it has the opportunity; but it can most effectually vindicate its political character by using every legitimate effort to give Mr Impey a thumping majority.